Best Practices for Email Reputation Management
Maintaining a solid email reputation is essential if you want your emails to be delivered reliably and avoid spam filters or blacklists. Over the years, I’ve worked with Microsoft, Google, and self-hosted solutions like cPanel, Plesk, and ISPmanager. Across these platforms, I’ve seen recurring issues that can drastically affect delivery rates.
The email landscape is constantly evolving. Major providers continue to tighten their anti-spam rules, and for new domains especially, building a good reputation from the start is critical.
Below are some email reputation best practices that can make a significant difference.
What Hurts Your Email Reputation
1. Sending Bulk Emails Without Proper Tools
Sending bulk emails—whether marketing campaigns, system alerts, or billing notices—without using a proper platform can quickly damage your domain. High bounce rates and unclean distribution lists are fast tracks to getting blacklisted.
2. Using Shared Environments
Shared hosting environments often use shared IPs. If someone else on your server misbehaves, your domain reputation could suffer due to IP blacklisting.
3. Missing or Incorrect DNS Records
Failing to set up essential DNS records like SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and Reverse DNS will almost certainly get your emails flagged or rejected by providers like Google and Microsoft.
How to Build a Strong Email Reputation
1. Set Up All Required DNS Records
Proper DNS configuration is foundational to building and maintaining a good email reputation.
- DKIM: Authenticates that emails are sent by the domain owner. Each service sending on your behalf (e.g., Mailchimp, HubSpot, SendGrid) should have its own DKIM record.
- SPF: Authorizes servers to send on your domain’s behalf. Be mindful of how many entries you include—SPF records have a limit.
- Reverse DNS: The sending IP should resolve to the server’s hostname. Coordinate with your provider to confirm.
- DMARC: Essential for protecting your domain from spoofing and phishing. Ensures alignment between SPF, DKIM, and sender policies.
Having these records not only improves delivery but also protects your brand from impersonation.
2. Perform Domain Warming
If you’re starting with a new domain, begin slowly. Send small batches of emails, gradually increasing volume week by week. Even with perfect DNS records, blasting emails too early can destroy your email reputation.
A suggested schedule:
- Week 1: 100–300 emails/day
- Week 2: Gradually increase to 500–700 emails/day
- Week 3–4: Up to 1,000+ emails/day, based on engagement and bounce rate
3. Keep Your Email Lists Clean
An outdated list full of invalid emails will lead to bounces and spam complaints. Clean your list regularly and always include an unsubscribe link.
4. Use the Right Tools for Campaigns
Never send marketing campaigns through your main mail server or shared hosting. Instead, use dedicated tools like:
- Mailchimp
- HubSpot
- SendGrid
These services are built for volume and maintain high deliverability standards.
5. Review and Optimize Your Email Content
Email content plays a role in how your message is treated. To avoid spam filters:
- Avoid ALL CAPS and spammy language
- Use a clear structure
- Include both HTML and plain text versions
Final Thoughts
Building and maintaining a strong email reputation requires more than just setting records. It’s a combination of infrastructure, content quality, list hygiene, and sending strategy. Follow these best practices to ensure your emails reach the inbox—and stay there.
Need Help with Your Email Reputation?
Whether you’re launching a new domain or trying to fix delivery issues, we’re here to help. Reach out to us for expert guidance and hands-on support to improve your email reputation and ensure your messages reach the inbox.